dimensions_idpub.1034650926Gene Expression Regulation, Viralpubmed_id7866875Herpes simplex virus (HSV) has a number of advantages as a vector for delivering specific genes to the nervous system. These include its large size, wide host range, and its ability to establish long-lived asymptomatic infections in neuronal cells in which a specific region of the viral genome continues to be expressed. Unfortunately, the large size of this virus and difficulty in manipulating it has led to its use as a vector lagging behind that of other, smaller viruses such as the retroviruses. In addition, the virus's ability to replicate lytically in the brain, under some circumstances, causing encephalitis, has led to fears about its potential safety for ultimate use in humans. This review will discuss a number of new approaches that are aimed at rendering simpler the insertion of foreign genes into the virus and making it as safe as possible. Ultimately, these advances offer real hope for the use of HSV vectors in gene therapy procedures.2019-04-11T13:47false1994-10-01research_articlearticles179-195en1994-10https://scigraph.springernature.com/explorer/license/http://link.springer.com/10.1007/BF02824809Herpes simplex virus vectors for gene therapyGenetic TherapyBrainGenome, Viral10.1007/bf02824809doiSimplexvirusDNA, Recombinant1559-0305Molecular Biotechnology1073-6085Defective VirusesBrain DiseasesMedical MicrobiologyGenetic Vectors22readcube_ida5106f0fd1771d59f5ba86cc586c4535286385a9e38e26d80ea5ec600c762695Virus ReplicationSafetyVirus LatencyCloning, Molecular9423533nlm_unique_idSpringer Nature - SN SciGraph projectDavid S.LatchmanHumansMedical and Health SciencesUniversity College LondonDepartment of Molecular Pathology, University College London Medical School, The Windeyer Building, Cleveland Street, W1P 6DB, London, UK